In the latter decades of the 1800's, the Land League had broken the back of the power wielded by the landlord. Whilst our forefathers had been dispossessed they had never been suppressed. ‘The land for the people’ motto was now about to become a reality and this together with the push for Home Rule and eventual independence gave the population a new and fresh sense of purpose, to be in charge of their own affairs. However, this progress was slow, painful, often divisive, and involved great sacrifices.
Some time before our Independence the Black and Tans had been stationed in Cavan town. These forces were often out of control and instilled a great deal of fear in the country. As part of the crackdown in the early 1920’s, during the war of Independance, they visited Butlersbridge village and surrounding areas, raiding republican homes very early on the morning of 8th December 1920. Several men were rounded up, among them Mick and Tommy Foynes and Jimmy McPhillips of Butlersbridge, Mick McGerty and Benny Emmo of Inishmore. They were brought to the local hall and kept there before being moved to Cavan Military Barracks. Locals brought breakfast and some refreshments to them before they were taken away. Some days later they were transferred by train to Ballykinlar Internment Camp, Co Down, routed first to Belfast and then to the small rural railway station at Dundrum, Co Down. From here they marched handcuffed the two miles or so to Ballykinlar. There were approximately 2,000 men interned in all at the time, 1,000 in each of two separate camps. They were houses in smaller groups in special huts where they remained until released on 8th December 1921. They rose at 7.30 a.m. and went to bed at 9.30 p.m. with two periods of exercise in each day. Life in the huts or bothans as they were called was tough, cold and crowded. In each one there was a military structure for the prisoners, commandant, vice commandant, adjutant and captain. Any problems or complaints with the authorities were represented and sorted by the commandant. The long days were broken by lessons and lectures given by the prisoners on subjects such as History. English and Irish Grammar, Maths, Mensuration (i.e. measuring of lengths, areas, and volumes), and engineering. In the fine weather prisoners played football, held athletics and tug of war competitions. They also had a choir. Some had been released earlier on July 21st 1921 when the Truce was signed. The Cornwall regiment and the King's Royal Rifles were in charge of the camp.
Sean Lemass (1899 - 1971) Fianna Fail TD, a founder member of the Fianna Fail party, and who later became Taoiseach (1959 -1966) was a fellow internee in the hut with Mick McGerty, of Innishmore. Mr. Lemass wrote the following verse in Mr. McGerty's diary:
“ Ballykinlar 5.7.'21
It is easy to cry when you're beaten and die.
It is easy to craw fish and crawl.
But to fight and to fight when hope's out of sightWhy, that's the best game of them all.
Dublin Sean F. Lemass
Hut 26.”
Hut 26.”
Local Tommy Foynes wrote the following:
“A maxim for all men:
Use, but do not abuse the principle of authority.T. Foynes”
